


For The Damaged

by KyeAbove



Series: The Reinforcement Of Agony AU [91]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Tasker is a supportive friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-31 02:15:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15109718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyeAbove/pseuds/KyeAbove
Summary: September 15th, 1963.  Cade Vale, New York. Agony:ConsumingHenry was finally back in the town he used to call home, and he couldn’t sleep. He considers himself lucky that he at least has a friend.





	For The Damaged

~September 15th, 1963~

* * *

 

Morning had come and Henry hadn’t slept a wink. The hours moved on without him, as he mostly starred up at the ceiling or out the window from his place on the couch. Mourning came, as he unfaithfully considered if there was anything he could have done to not end up here.

The hours and years past gave him a lifetime to wonder what moment in his life he could have done even just a little differently. Changed one thing, and changed the future.

This wasn’t where he wanted his life to be.

“Can't sleep?”

Henry looked to the back of the couch. He’d been so focused on the ceiling and his thoughts that he hadn’t seen Tasker enter the room. This was Henry Tasker’s house, so he probably knew all the tricks to being quiet.

Tasker looked well rested, a book tucked under his arm. While he had his own haunts that could keep him awake into the very next day, he must be handling things better than Henry was.

“Ugh..” Henry tried to reply, but no actual words left his mouth.

“Well, there’s always later today or tonight.”

Henry wondered if he’d ever really been that innocently hopeful. Tasker may have been eighteen, but to all of Henry’s years he was still practically a baby. It was strange to think that when he was Tasker’s age, Henry had felt like an adult.

Tasker walked around the couch, and crouched down in front of the television.

“Around this time I usually watch Saturday morning cartoons and study.”

Tasker turned on the television set, and fiddled around with the dials until it was where he wanted it. From there he walked back to the couch and sat down when Henry pulled his legs up.

Sound from the television was most of the sound in the room for some time after that. Tasker didn’t press, content to read and watch the bright colors. Henry watched the cartoon, unfocused but not unimpressed.

After the first cartoon finished, another came on. Tasker was clearly more interested in this particular cartoon. He closed his book, and started pointing out and explaining things happening, excited. Henry nodded along as best he could.

Sometimes, Tasker achingly reminded Henry of Wally Franks. Wally had always been easily distracted and passionate. Different from Sammy’s approach to the same habits, but-

Henry covered his face with his hand.

It was hard to believe it had been thirty years.

Henry knew the studio had closed. All his collected contact information seemed to grow irrelevant as people seemingly found new jobs and new places to live as a result.

Now that he was back in town, he wanted to track as many people down. Thirty years was a long time. But in the first decade, it’d been a mess. First he’d lost all he ever wanted, and then the war had kicked in and he hadn’t been drafted, but there was no going looking for old connections in that time. After that he had no excuse. After that he thought he wasn’t wanted.

Worst of all...

...Henry wondered how many more of his friends had been drafted and never came back. Most of him didn't want to know.

“You were an animator, right?” Tasker asked.

“Yes, I was, but that was a long time ago.”

Tasker smiled, hoping Henry would do the same.

“Tell me about what you did. All the good things.”

The sun was bathing the living room in light, but it almost felt like Tasker’s smile had lit up the room all its own.

All the good things? There were many good things, even though they often got buried by the bad. Everyone who even asked seemed to ask about the bad.

So, Henry smiled weakly, and told Tasker everything.

**Author's Note:**

> This story and its sub series is important to the AU in that it goes into Henry's feelings, and reveals stuff that may not come up otherwise. Tasker is also important in that he's probably the best kind of friend Henry could have in a time like this.


End file.
